


Melted Wings

by Furuba_Fangirl



Series: Falling is Half the Fun [2]
Category: Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Genre: Babysitting, Child Neglect, Empty Nest Syndrome, First Time, Fluff and Angst, Ghost Hunting, Happy Ending, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Non-Explicit Sex, POV First Person, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Relationship(s), Past Self-Hatred, Post-Game(s), Reconciliation, Self-Doubt, Slow Burn, dad jokes, struggling with alcoholism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2017-09-27
Packaged: 2018-12-21 22:18:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 13,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11953809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Furuba_Fangirl/pseuds/Furuba_Fangirl
Summary: Robert has been struggling to get better and is slowly making progress. He's still scared to make an official relationship with Dadsona, despite how he feels. However, now that Amanda is leaving for college, Robert has to take care of him no matter what. Dadsona and Robert keep each other company in their ensuing adventures. It's only a matter of time before they put a label on their relationship.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Part two coming at ya! Hopefully I've kept the ball rolling and you enjoy!

"Come on, Robert," Amanda groans as she holds her camera.

"Sorry, kiddo, this is all you're getting from me," I say as I'm detailing my wood carving.

"Look, even Betsy is more photogenic than you!" she points at Betsy snuggled up to me on the bed of my truck. "Would it _kill_ you to smile?"

"As a matter of fact, it would," I counter. "The cryptids will take that as a sign of weakness. They'll come at night, drag me into their lair and pick my bones dry, all thanks to you." I know that it'll take a lot more to get the cryptids' attention, but I _really_ hate pictures.

Amanda huffs, "Well at least your remains would be more interesting to photograph than you right now. I could assemble your bones into a smiley face then."

I shrug,"Guess you're gonna have to wait til I'm dead."

She pouts at me and turns her head to her dad who's packing things into her car. "Daaddd," she whines. Pulling out the big guns I see. "Robert is being stubborn."

"What else is new?" we answer in tandem. We look at each other, knowing we've been hanging out too much together. I hold back a smile to ensure Amanda doesn't catch me off guard.

"Come on, Dad. Help me out. I promised Val I would get a good picture for her before I left."

"Oh really? The picture she asked for two weeks ago and you conveniently remembered that you had to take now that we've started packing."

"Ok, you got me," she admits. "To be fair though, I would have been done sooner if _Robert_ had just cooperated." I know she's glaring at me but I keep my attention on my whittling.

"Well how about you give your muse a break and bring out the rest of _your_ things," he orders.

"Fine," she complains. She points her finger at me as menacingly as she can (which isn't very much). "I'm not finished with you, Small."

I look her dead in the eye and without breaking contact, I down the rest of my whiskey. "I'll be waiting," I challenge.

She starts heading back to the house and I hear her mumble, "Damn, he's good."

The kid puts the box he was carrying into the trunk of Amanda's yellow buggy and he starts heading my way. I put down the wood carving of Betsy so I can give him my full attention. He's the only thing that can distract me from whittling and I don't feel like losing a finger today.

"Hey, sorry about Amanda being so pushy. I know you're not a fan of photos," he apologizes.

"It's fine. Besides, she reminds me of someone i know..." All I can think is if it wasn't for his persistence, we wouldn't be here today.

"I know right, Betsy can be a bit pushy sometimes," he jokes.

Betsy yaps happily and I scruff her head. "Sorry girl, Kid's got you all figured out," I laugh. He smiles at me and I find myself dumbly smiling back.

The moment is interrupted by the sound of a camera shutter clicking. I look over and see Amanda standing there with a smug smile. Dammit. "Ha! Gotcha motherfu--"

"Amanda!" Her dad scolds.

"What, you said I was old enough to swear?" she defends.

"That does not mean you have permission to insult my friend." Ugh, it still sucks that we have to refer to ourselves as "friends", even though it's my fault we're not anything more.

Amanda raises an eyebrow, "Uh-huh, sure Dad. Any who, I have to send this to Val."

"Wait what about the rest of your things?"

"Can't right now, Dad. I'm on an important mission," she excuses herself and heads back inside.

The kid leans against the truck and sighs, "I guess I'll have to finish packing things..." A somber expression falls on his face. I know it hurts him that Amanda is leaving, but he's too good of a dad to admit it.

I put my hand on his shoulder and he looks over at me. "Everything is going to be fine. I know you two are inseparable but...you'll both get through it." I know I'm in no position to be giving advice but I would say anything to make him smile.

He rubs his hand over mine with slow gentle strokes. "Thank you, Robert... It means a lot to me," he says through a half-hearted smile. Good enough for me.

I lean forward, letting our foreheads gently bump together. I see his eyelashes flutter and a long exhale escapes him. I look down to his lips and realize how close they are to me. His soft breath grazing my own lips. I pull myself away before temptation gets to me. "Come on, I'll help you pack things up."

He nods with blushing cheeks. I hop off the truck and we walk to pick up the last of the boxes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got around to writing this part sooner than I thought. However, it's gonna have to be chapter by chapter but I will probably update frequently.


	2. Chapter 2

"Take care of my Pops, okay Bobert?" Amanda had requested as she drove off earlier this afternoon. Well...that's currently not panning out considering he's drunkenly singing a duet of "All by Myself" with Mary as we walk back home. I'm sandwiched in between them trying to keep them from hitting the pavement. This is the first time I've been the more sober one (with only two glasses of whiskey in me) and honestly I find this hilariously disturbing.

"Cheer up, sailor," Mary hiccups. "You've still got us."

"I know, you guys are the best," he slurs. "Amanda who? I'm fine..." I glance over at him and see tears starting to well in his eyes. Oh boy, I'm no good at handling crying.

Before he becomes a blubbering mess all I can think to say is, "Hey, fine, I'm Robert."

He blinks at me and from my periphery I can see Mary's look of disgust. I'm pretty sure I lost all respect from her.

Honestly, I stop caring when I see the kid holding his side laughing. "Oh man, never thought I'd see the day where I'd hear you make a dad joke that bad!"

"Ugh, thank God this is my stop," she groans as we pass her house. She stumbles away from us. "Night, losers!"

We wave at her and start heading to the kid's house. "Goodnight, Robert," he sings, fumbling with his keys.

"What you think you're gonna get rid of me?"

"Huh?"

"I'm staying the night."

"Wait, Robert you don't have to--"

"Listen, Kid. I'm not gonna leave you a drunken, crying mess," I interrupt.

"But..." he starts again, nervously fidgeting his keys.

"I'll stay on the couch, so I don't make you uncomfortable."

"...A-alright," he answers.

I take his keys and open the door to walk him to his room. I watch him ungracefully belly flop onto bed. "Rest up, Kid," I tell him.

Before I leave the room, he lifts his head up and chimes, "Robert...!"

"Hmm?"

"Umm..." He looks away nervously. Even in the poorly lit room I can tell he's blushing. "Thank you... Goodnight."

"Night." I walk out to make myself comfortable on the couch by shucking off my jacket and kicking off my shoes. That kid even when he's drunk...he's respectful enough to not step over the boundary I set. I know it was on the tip of his tongue... He wanted to share a bed but he knows it's playing with fire.

The last time we kissed was three months ago under the cherry blossom tree (even though I wanted it to be the first of many). Instead we took some time off from each other but he was patient with me. He would give me my space when there were days I didn't want to leave the house. I had even gone to spend some time with Val and Tessa in Brooklyn. When I came back to Maple Bay, he welcomed me with open arms. He promised to be my friend and he's made good on that promise even when I didn't deserve it.

 

A week before I left to go see Val, panic started setting in and I was falling into a drinking binge. I knew it was bound to happen but, unfortunately, the kid had gotten stuck in the crossfire.

"Don't you see, Kid? Don't you fuckin' realize that I'm a just a burden? Val doesn't need me to be happy!" I yelled at him.

"Robert, calm down. It's just the nerves. You'll see, you're going to have a good time with her."

He reached for my hand and I had swiped it away. "I don't need you to feel sorry for me! I don't know why you even bother with me!" I barked.

"Rob--"

"Just leave me the fuck alone!" I growled. God, he looked so disappointed... He started walking away and all I could think was, "Good... Leave while you still can."

He stopped though and I could see he was clenching his fists til his knuckles were white. He whipped around and shouted, "You know what Robert Small? Fuck you! Fuck you for not seeing all the good things about yourself!" I stared at him in shock. I had never seen him yell before. He continued, "How dare you think of yourself as some sort of pity case! For Christ sakes, Robert, do you honestly think that's why you're my friend! You're funny as hell, you're so compassionate even if you don't want people to know and, goddamn, you're sexy too!" He was shaking, like he was about to implode from the frustration but he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for screaming at you, but...it hurts too much when you say things like that..."

I stepped toward him and looked into his eyes; they were so full of turmoil and sadness. I laid my head on his shoulder and placed my hands on his hips. "You don't need to be sorry... I'm the one who pushes the people I care about away," I muttered. "I'm so sorry..."

He put his hand on the back of my neck and whispered, "I hate to break it to you, but I'm not letting you go anytime soon. You're stuck with me." His words sent chills down my spine.

I let out a weak laugh because it was the only thing I could do at the moment. That day I was finally willing to admit it to myself... "I love you... I'm so fucking in love with you it hurts..." I haven't gotten drunk since that day.

 

I can feel my eyelids getting heavier, but I hear something coming from the bedroom. I get up and as I get closer it sounds like a sniffling noise. I crack the door open and the kid jolts up, frantically wiping his face.

"Hey, Robert," he sniffles. "I think it's time for me to wash my sheets. I think they're giving me allergies--"

Before he continues his lame excuse, I lie on the bed and pull him close to me.

"Robert, I'm--"

I hush, "Shut up and go to sleep." He doesn't bother protesting anymore. He clutches on to my shirt and buries his face into my chest to stifle his cries. "Don't worry, I'm right here. Remember...I'm stuck with you."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dadsona and Robert go ghost hunting. Also, Robert reveals what he did for a living.

"Loomis, what are you doing?" I ask from his porch.

"Just a sec! I have to get some supplies!" he yells back from somewhere in the house.

I hadn't really followed through on my promise to take the kid ghost hunting, so I decided now would be a perfect time. He's still getting over the fact that Amanda left a couple weeks ago and I've been doing my best to keep him distracted. "Well if you don't hurry, we're gonna miss prime ghost hunting hour."

"Robert, they're dead. They're not going anywhere." He steps outside holding a canister of... salt?

"Kid, are you planning to season a steak, or what?"

"No, I heard it's to keep ghosts away if they get too close." 

"Where'd you hear that load of horse shit?"

"Supernatural. Amanda showed it to me and they're the experts on, well, supernatural occurrences."

"Yeah, I've seen it but you know it's fake , right? It's no Paranormal Ghost Truckers."

"Yes, but it's very convincing," he defends.

"Why 'cause they're hot?" 

"Obviously."

I snort, "Fine, we'll give the damn salt a try."

"Yes!" he hoots. "Hey, Robert..." Oh no. "You can say that we're going to a-salt some ghosts, am I right?" God dammit.

"On second thought, you can stay home. I'll bring Betsy instead."

"Awe, come on McSturgiss, no need to be salty about it," he grins. I give up.

 

We make a our way through the graveyard, maneuvering through tombstones. I scan each one with the EMF reader but so far nothing is going off.

"Hmph, and you were making fun of my salt idea," he reprimands.

"Hey, this is state of the art. Cost me almost $200 so it must be good."

"I guess..." his voice trails off and I see he's pulling his thinking face.

"What's on your mind, Loomis?"

"Uh, nothing, just a stupid question."

"Lay it on me."

"...How do you get money? I've never really seen you well...work."

I pause for a second, taking in his question. It's been a while since I thought about it... I sigh, "Guess you've caught on, Kid... When I told you I wasn't a good person, I wasn't lying to you... I've done things I'm not proud of." I run my hands through my hair. "In New York, I ran with the wrong crowd... Started doing drugs that I can't even remember the names of and eventually I started selling them too. The money was good, so I just kept at; not even thinking of all the lives I was ruining in the process..." My eyes start to water and the kid's eyes widen. I choke out, "It finally got to be too much for me and I broke down and told Marilyn the truth... It's the main reason we packed up all of our things and headed to Maple Bay where we could leave that behind... It kills me that I still have that money, even now, but it's all I got..."

"Robert, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to pry on your past! You're in such a better place now and it's wasn't fair of me to bring it up."

"I'm sorry too..." I wipe my tears away. "Sorry that you fell for it!" I smirk.

The realization sets in and he looks livid. I know I shouldn't be cackling at his face of utter betrayal but that was too damn good!

He tosses some salt my way and he hisses, "You son of a bitch! Really? Fake tears!"

"I'm sorry, Kid," I reel. "I had to throw in some theatrics so you would believe me!" I inhale deeply to relieve some of the pain in my ribs.

"Damn you!" he scowls. "So are you gonna tell me the truth, or not?" 

I compose myself and answer, "I write--well more like did write-- horror novels."

He squints his eyes at me, still pondering if he should believe me or not.

"You can look at me like that all you want but it's true. I've always been a good bullshitter so making a living from it came easy. It also accommodated for my...life style choices... I didn't write many books, but they did pretty good. At least enough to give me a steady income."

"That actually makes sense..." he concludes. 

"I do miss it you know... Especially on nights like this where the atmosphere just oozes fear and suspense. I sometimes think of starting up again..."

"Then why don't you? I mean if it's something that makes you happy, why not? I can't see it now!" He grabs my shoulder and makes a dramatic motion. "The Adventures of Dr. Loomis and Daniel McSturgiss by R.B. Smallcraft! It'll be a huge hit at bookstores," he claims.

I smile and shake my head, "Well at least you have more confidence in me than I do..."

"You know I believe in you, Robert... even if you don't believe in yourself."

We stare at each other but before I can say anything I notice that the EMF needle has been spiking a little. Our eyes widen and I grab him by the hand. "Let's go, Kid!" 

We follow where the signal is getting stronger, until it's beeping off the charts. We hear a buzzing noise coming from above us. "Oh God, is the Dover Ghost gonna reap our soul?" 

I shine my flashlight up higher and then let out a sigh of disappointment. "Nope. Just some electric wires."

"State of the art, huh?" he begrudgingly asks.

"In my defense, it did pick up a signal." He laughs in agreement. "You know...maybe you're right. It would be cool to write about our adventures. 'Cause shit like this only happens to us," I laugh.

"You know we make a good team, right?"

"Yeah..." An all too familiar silence falls over us... The silence where we both know we're so much more than that... The silence where neither one of us can acknowledge how much we care for each other, even though we feel it in the air all the time. "Ready to call it a night, Loomis?"

He smiles, "Lead the way..."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert and Dadsona take care of baby River for the evening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I absolutely loovvveeedd writing this chapter! ^_^ Hopefully you guys enjoy reading it just as much!

The moment I woke up today, I knew I was going to be on edge all day long. I can't even sit down on my couch without feeling like fire ants are crawling and biting all over my legs. Then there's that nagging thought in the back of my head. The thought of, "A few drinks wouldn't hurt... You've handled more before so why should you hold back now?" I start heading toward the cabinets but I stop myself... The image of Marilyn's eyes of disappointment overlap with the one of the kid's that night we fought.

I force myself to turn around and head out my door. I make my way to the kid's house like I'm a twisted plant desperately trying to reach the sunlight.

I step onto his porch, hesitating to knock on the door but I do anyways. I wait anxiously until the door finally swings open. I see the kid standing there with a huge smile, but he's not alone. In his arms is Craig's baby, happily nibbling on her stuffed capybara's ear. "Hey, Robert!" he joyfully greets.

"Hey... Sorry, I caught you at a bad time, didn't I?"

"No, not at all. I'm just watching over River for a couple of hours. Craig had to take the twins to the dentist and well, apparently, she goes ballistic at the sound of teeth getting drilled. But honestly, I think he wanted to lend me her now that Amanda's off. Bros gotta stick together, I guess," he chuckles.

"Right," I answer, trying to hide my annoyance. Nothing personal against Craig, but I _know_ that the camping trip he proposed to him was not for "bro time" and that still eats me.

"Come in," he invites. I sit on the couch while the kid sits on the floor near me and puts River down on her play mat. "Robert, check this out!" he exclaims, excitedly grabbing my wrist for a second. "River, who am I?" He points at himself.

River looks up and babbles, "Bro!"

"Did you hear that? She knows who I am!"

The excitement he emits is so contagious that I feel a grin forming on my face. "So you've been enjoying yourself I see."

"Yeah... It's nice taking care of someone again." He lightly pinches the baby's cheek and she lets out a giggle. I imagine this is how caring he was towards Amanda all her life.

"Not making too much trouble for you?"

"Nah." We observe her biting down on her toy's leg. "A little cranky cause she's teething but I think Arnold's been a good chew toy--"

At that moment, we hear the sound of fabric ripping. The leg is still hanging in River's mouth but the rest is clutched between her chubby fingers.

"Oh no..." the kid mutters, with a mortified expression on his face.

"What do you mean--"

River starts wailing like a banshee and the kid scrambles to pick her up. "Shit! I should've known that leg wouldn't hold for long after Joseph's children of the corn amputated it." He rocks her gently, to no avail. "Okay, I just have to fix it! I'm sure I have some needle and thread..." He looks disoriented as he tries to figure out his next move.

I hold my arms open. "Hand me the baby, you go try to fix, uh, Arnold."

He looks at me, kinda in disbelief. "Um, okay." He passes me River, who's already a snotty mess, and I gently bounce her on my lap. "I'll be back. I've gotta prep for surgery!" He leaves the living room to look for supplies.

River is squealing to the point her face is red. It's been so long since I've had to deal with this but I don't feel annoyed by it. It never got on my nerves when Val would cry either. In a way, hearing her cry at that age was a blessing because... it was innocent. Babies don't have to worry about the scary shit in the world. They only care about what they want at one specific moment in time: food, sleep, a fixed toy. They're completely oblivious to everything. It only becomes painful to watch when they know what's going on. Like when I saw Val cry the day I missed her high school graduation...

"Dammit! I can't find them!" I hear the kid yell.

I kinda laugh. Poor Kid is getting a little rusty. River continues to choke out tears and I decide to try something. I start humming a tune, as best I can with this raspy, aged voice of mine. I start singing softly, "In between love and trying to scheme love. Who can tell what we may find?" She's still weeping but I see I've got her attention. I continue, "Never thought love, not get caught love between the magic in your eyes. And loves like women, it's cool and breezy. Never thought that love could be so easy." Her cries become more like breathy gasps and I start patting her back. "In between love and trying to scheme love. And in between love again." I pick her up from my lap and cradle her.

As I finish up the song, I watch River's watery eyes close. "And in between love again..." I hear her breathing finally calm into a restful rhythm. A sense of pride washes over me as I look at her sleeping peacefully.

I hear feet shuffling on the carpet. I look up and see the kid standing their with the needle and thread. His eyes are wide and his mouth is gaping. Oh, fuck. I feel the heat rising to my face. I cough, "Um, how much did you hear?"

"Pretty much the whole thing..."

I'm sure I'm completely red and I'm too embarrassed to look at him. "Never tell a soul."

He comes over and sits down next to me. "It'll be our secret." he promises. He gives my forearm a reassuring touch.

"Thanks... I... I used to sing that to Val when she was a baby... Thought it might calm River down too..."

"I can see why. Your voice is pretty amazing," he compliments.

My cheeks are on fire still and I accept his compliment with a grumble. It gets quiet between us, so the kid decides to start stitching his patient up. He finishes sewing Arnold together and gently places him on top of River. She hugs the familiar shape and she smiles in her sleep.

"Phew. Good job partner," he says.

"Yeah..." I gaze at River and tuck in a few strands of hair into her yellow beanie. A lump starts growing in my throat when I realize how much I've missed this; having a small, squishy body in my arms, blindly trusting me to take care of it. I murmur sadly, "Why did I ever let her go....?"

The kid looks at me with those sympathetic eyes of his and scoots in closer. He doesn't say anything, knowing that I'll talk when I want to.

"...Val's birthday is tomorrow... I want to go to Brooklyn and surprise her, but...any time I go see her it's like walking a tightrope... If I make one wrong move, I risk losing her again..."

"Robert...just going to see her is a big step, especially on her birthday."

"...I've forgotten so many times... She probably doesn't expect anything from me..."

"Hey...you have to let go of what happened in the past. What matters is what you do now. If you don't, you'll never be able to move forward with her."

Some of the tension in my body starts to ease and I draw in a long breath. I lean against him, being mindful not to stir River too much. "You...always know how to calm me down..."

"I can't compete with your Tom Waits rendition but I guess I get the job done."

"Heh, you're never gonna let me live that down, are you?"

"Nope," he states bluntly.

"Thought so... Will...will you come say goodbye to me before I leave tomorrow?"

"Absolutely," he answers without hesitating.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is called In Between Love by Tom Waits if y'all were curious.


	5. Chapter 5

It's the crack of dawn and I feel the brisk morning air on my skin as I'm leaned against my truck ready to head out. I'm nervously chewing gum, waiting for the kid to come out. I really wish I had a cigarette instead but I've been trying to cut back on those too. Potential cancer aside, I'd rather not taste like an ash tray to the kid if I'm ever bold enough to plant one on him again.

I straighten my posture when I see the kid heading to my driveway. His eyes are slightly tired but he still has a grin on his face. "Hey," he calls.

"Hey..." I remember the last time I went to go visit Val, I didn't officially say goodbye to him. I just shot him a quick text that I had made it. I was still ashamed of how I treated him before that and I couldn't bring myself to ask the favor. "Sorry you have to wake up at this time, but New York traffic is a bitch later. I wanna make good time."

"Robert, my dear friend." There's that word again. "You know I would follow you anywhere, right? Well within legal limits of course."

I tilt my head at him and pat him on the back. "Yeah, I know..." I let my hand run over his shoulder then down his arm and gently grasp his wrist. I'd like to think that shiver of his is because of me and not the fall weather. I inhale deeply, wishing I could place him in my pocket and take him with me. I'd feel so much... _stronger_ if I could but I have to do this alone. I let go and tell him, "I'll be back later tonight."

"A-alright then. Good luck and be safe," he says giving me a thumbs up.

I give him a nod and I get in. As I drive off, I see the kid waving from my rear view and watch the neighborhood get smaller and smaller.

I drive in silence, not bothering to turn on the radio, so that I can be alone with my thoughts. The last time I went to go visit Val for a week went pretty well just like the kid had predicted. She dragged me to a broadway show, even though it's definitely not my style. However, when I saw how much she enjoyed it, I was happy I went.

I also got to officially meet Tessa, who was admittedly the sweetest girl ever. She talked a thousand miles per hour but she always had a good story to tell. And the way they were together...it was a privilege to watch. They looked at each other as if no one in the world existed. The whole world could be burning and they still would be holding hands and peppering each other with kisses.

It was a good time, but...I felt like we were two strangers getting to know each other. In truth, it was exactly like that because we had both missed so many years of our lives that we had to catch up. We didn't talk about our past, even though there were times where it almost came up but neither of us followed through. I think we were both scared that it might lead to an argument and just wanted to enjoy the little time we had together.

I start seeing the familiar cityscape and I tighten my grip on the steering wheel. I find a good parking spot, but I stay in the car for a while. When I build enough courage, I grab the paper bag from the passenger seat and start heading up to Val's apartment.

What if she's busy? What if she's already made plans of her own and I'm just intruding? What if--? Before I know it, I'm knocking on the apartment door.

"Just a minute!" I hear her shout from inside. I shudder and when the door starts to open my heart stops. She starts, "Jesus, Tessa I thought you said you were coming later..." She finally realizes who's standing at her door. "Dad?"

"Uh, hey, Val... Happy Birthday." Well she looks shocked to say the least... Her long, dark hair is still wet but it cascades beautifully down her shoulders. I notice that she's wearing a grey tank top and black sweatpants. "You were getting ready... Sorry, I should've called--"

"No, Dad, it's fine! You just, well...surprised me... Which I assume was the whole point..."

"Yeah, but you have plans with Tessa don't you?"

"I do, but that's later so I still have time," she explains.

"Okay..."

"Don't worry, Old Man. Come on in." She steps aside and waves me in. We sit down on her couch and I look around. I'm always in awe at how spotless her apartment is. Definitely didn't get that from me.

I see something new from the corner of my eye. Hanging on the wall is a picture of...me. The picture that Amanda managed to take. "You...actually kept it..." I mutter.

She looks over and affirms, "Hell yeah I did! That girl has a true talent if she was able to catch you smiling in a photo. It might as well be a picture of Mothman." Before I can say anything, she adds, "And, yes, I know he's bullshit."

"Good girl." It warms me that she kept something of me. "So... you and Tessa haven't moved in together yet?"

"We're in the process. She's waiting for her lease to finish up but most of her clothes are here and she does have a key to my place already. When I heard the door I figured she had lost it already though. I love her to death but, somehow, she manages to lose everything. One time she legitimately lost her shoe. Her _shoe_ , Dad. It was New Year's Eve too so we weren't gonna find a taxi anytime soon. We had to walk five blocks to find a shoe store that was still open," she retells. I love hearing her gushing over, Tessa. Huh? I wonder if I sound like that when I talk about the kid.

"Well, at least you'll never be bored that's for sure."

"That's true," she laughs.

"What are your guys' plan tonight?"

"We're going to eat at my favorite restaurant, then we're going to catch a movie and then probably go rob a bank. You know the usual birthday celebration."

"Hey, you should at least try for the Federal Reserve Bank this year. Change things up a little."

"Now that sounds like a birthday bash." We both chuckle.

"I, uh... I got you something." I hand her the brown bag.

"O-oh... Thanks." She grabs it.

"Sorry, I didn't have time to get an actual gift bag..."

"It's cool, Dad," she assures. I'm worried about her reaction but when she pulls it out, a smile forms on her lips. She runs her fingers along the words etched onto the inner circle of the vinyl record. "'Tom Waits- The Early Years: Vol. 2,'" she reads.

"It has your lullaby... Do you remember?"

"Yeah, I do... Dad...this is great..." She surprises me when she leans in and wraps her arms around my waste. "Thank you..."

I hug her back, still a little stunned. I can't even remember when the last time was that we hugged. "You're welcome... Um...will you let me take you out for brunch too?"

She pulls away slightly and looks at me. "Sure thing, Old Man."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A conversation that needed to happen between Val and Robert

After Val finally gets ready, I take her to our favorite diner. The floor is sticky with grease and the booths are tattered to shit but, damn, is the food amazing. 

As we wait for our food to come, Val asks, "How have things been lately? I know I haven't called in a couple of weeks, but work has been hectic."

"I figured you were busy." At least I had hoped that's why she wasn't calling. "Things have been good. Actually, they've been pretty good lately... I've been writing again. Finally, got inspired."

"That's great, Dad! Now tell me, was your inspiration on account of Neighbor Boy?" she smirks. 

"Kinda... Well, maybe mostly," I admit.

"I thought, so. I'm really glad, Old Man... I'm glad you've been better." 

Our waitress comes by and drops our food off. I raise my coffee mug up and toast, "Here's to you, Val, for turning twenty..." I feel my stomach drop. I put my mug down and start rubbing my face. "Shit," I whisper.

"What's wrong...?"

I look down at the table. "...I still don't even remember how old you really are... Some father I am..."

"Dad..."

"...Why do you even put up with me Val? ...I disappointed you for so many years and... I'm sorry Val... I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." I feel tears starting to form in my eyes. Fuck. This isn't how I wanted today to go.

She grabs my hand. "Hey...what matters is that you're here now... Dad, I forgave you for everything, even if you don't believe it... I'm not going to lie, there was a point in my life that I thought it would be easier to hate you..." She gulps, "I wanted to hate you, so all the things you missed and all the promises you broke would hurt less... I guess that's why when Mom died, I pushed myself away from you..." The sadness in her voice is tearing my heart to pieces. Shit, now I feel the tears falling.

 She sighs, "The problem was I never did hate you, Dad. Not even for a second... I always wondered how you were doing or if you had eaten enough that day or if you had fallen asleep in a gutter... All questions I could have asked you myself if I wasn't so stubborn and had just picked up the phone..." I feel her grip tighten and I finally look up only to see her eyes are watery. She croaks, "Then one day... I thought my worst nightmare had happened...

"I had gone on business one day, relatively close to Maple Bay, and on my way back, I got stuck in a traffic jam. I could see the blinking lights of ambulances and police cars so I knew it was an accident. When I got closer...I was sick to my stomach... Glass and metal and God knows what else were scattered everywhere, but that wasn't what got me... The truck, or what was left of it anyway, looked like yours... The same model, the same color..." I feel her shudder at the recollection.

 "I felt my world crashing down on me. I thought just like that...you were gone too." I watch as tears roll down her cheeks. Great, now we're both crying in public. "All I could think at the moment was that I would never hear your crazy stories again. I would never hear you humming to the radio again. I would never get to introduce you to Tessa..!" She covers her mouth, trying to hold back her sobbing.

We both take some time to calm ourselves down as we clutch each other's hand. "It was only until I saw that it had a different license plate, that I realized it wasn't you..." Val lets out a sigh as if mimicking the relief she felt that day. "I was still in shock the rest of the way back and when I got home I broke down in Tessa’s arms..."

She wipes some residual tears away from her cheeks. "That was the day I realized, I had had enough. I couldn't keep a grudge against you anymore. Because if you had died that day, you would have left thinking I really _did_ hate you... So I pulled myself together and called you that very same night. I was definitely scared... Scared that you didn't want to talk to me because I had been a bitch to you for so long... Then you called me back to meet up and I felt so relieved... I knew things weren't going to be fixed magically, but I was happy to get another chance with you."

"Val... Thank you... Thank you for not giving up on me," I hiccup. How did I get so lucky to have a daughter like her?

She smiles at me through tearful eyes, "No, Dad... Thank _you_ for trying..." She reaches over the table and dries my tears. I hold her hand to my face and we both stay there in silence. 

We leave the diner without eating anything, our appetite ruined by our crying session. We're walking back to her apartment with one arm wrapped around each other's sides and it's better than any greasy diner food.

When we get upstairs, we see a familiar face sitting at the entrance of Val's apartment. "Tessa?" Val approaches her and Tessa looks up from her phone, her eyes brightening when she sees her.

"Val!" She shouts excitedly as she lunges to give her a hug. "Happy Birthday!" From over Val's shoulder, I can see Tessa's freckled nose crinkle and her dimples deepen as she smiles at her.

"Sweetie, what are you doing out here?"

"I wanted to come earlier to surprise you, but..."

"You lost your keys."

"No, they're just...temporary misplaced," she defends.

"Mhm, sure," Val hums.

Tessa finally notices that I'm standing there. "Robert?" She looks at Val and then back at me. "Awe, man! You beat me to it, didn't you?" she whines.

"Yep."

She pouts a little. "Oh alright, but I get her the rest of the night," she informs, giving me a little wink. 

"Yeah, I know. Besides... I think I'm going to be heading back soon." I wish I didn't have to but I know Val is in good hands. 

"Tessa, can you give us a minute?" Val requests as she hands her the keys.

"Sure thing." She gives Val a peck on the lips and starts unlocking the door. As she opens the door, she says, "It was nice seeing you again, Robert."

"Same here."

She closes the door behind her and leaves to say goodbye. "Thanks again for coming, Old Man. I know it's not exactly what you wanted but I'm glad we got to talk... It was the best gift you could've given me. Well asides from the Tom Waits Album," she grins.

"I'm glad, Val. Enjoy the rest your birthday, okay."

She nods her head. She wraps me in another hug, a feeling that still seems unfamiliar. "I love you, Dad," she murmurs into my chest. I never thought I'd ever hear those words again. 

"I love you too." We let go and she goes back inside to join Tessa.

I take in everything that happened today as I drive away from the city... If Val's been willing to forgive me for my mistakes, maybe it's time I forgave myself.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert gets a surprise visit from Mary and she has a secret to tell him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place sometime after Val’s birthday. I know it’s a bit of a break from Dadsona/Robert but I thought it was important to give Mary a resolution. Also, fair warning, this chapter takes a dark turn.

As I'm brushing my teeth before bed, something I'm trying to make a habit, I hear the doorbell ring. I finish rinsing and then make my way to the door. When I open it I see Mary standing there, her glum expression emphasized by the dim porch light.

"Hey, Rob… Did I wake you?"

"Nope, don’t worry about it." 

"Ok... Can I...?" She looks down and requests, "Can I stay the night?"

She catches me off guard but I affirm, "Of course, Mare." I don't need an explanation as to why. If she's here looking for _my_ help, then it must be serious. I step aside and let her come inside. 

"Thanks..." she says quietly. She makes her way to the couch and sits down with her hands on her lap. Her gaze is distant.

"You can take the bedroom, you know?"

"This is fine... I just...don't want to be in that house tonight... Joseph's at the yacht and I left the kids with Damien," she murmurs.

"Alright... do you want a drink?"

She shakes her head not even looking over. Shit, it's bad.

"I...I asked Joseph for the divorce..." she mutters. Despite how obviously fucked their marriage was, the news comes as a shock to me. Something must have pushed Mary too far this time because she's never really talked about leaving him.

I sit down next to her. "Do you...wanna talk about it?"

She pauses for a while then she mumbles, "I just can't do it anymore, Robert."

"...What did he do?"

"Nothing... He didn't do anything this time... It was what I was going to do..." I look at her and see her eyes start to water. "I fucked up, Robert," she croaks.

I wrap my arm around her shoulder. "What happened?"

"...We got into a fight a few days ago, I don't even remember why... He stormed off like always, leaving me alone with Crish... I was on my third bottle of wine that day so when he started crying I couldn't think straight enough to figure out why. So in my drunk mind, I thought I should run him a bath to calm him down..." I feel her shaking. "I put him in and while I was waiting for the tub to fill up... I fell asleep." 

"Jesus Christ, Mary..."

She continues, her voice quivering. "I came to when I heard Crish crying his lungs out and... the water was already up to his neck..." She covers her face with her hand and her eyes are bulging out at the memory. "Robert...I was going to drown my baby!" she bawls, tears streaming down her face.

I hug her tightly. "It's okay. The important thing is that you pulled him out in time."

"That doesn't change the fact that he almost died because of me!" I'm the least indicated to judge someone for child neglect, so I just keep my mouth shut and I let her cry it out. 

She composes herself enough to carry on. "As I dried him off all I could think was 'Never again. I can never let this happen again.' Crish sniveling in my arms as I swaddled him in a towel was proof of the consequences of mine and Joseph's toxic relationship... I realized I couldn't do it anymore... I couldn't live knowing that I was putting my kids' happiness and safety at stake by staying with Joseph... So I sobered up and told him it was over. The way I said it left him with no doubt that I was serious..."

We stay silent for a while, not knowing what to say anymore. "I'm proud of you, Mary... For being brave enough to finally let go…"

"What you trying to seduce me already? I'm still a married woman," she jokingly admonishes.

"So you've seen right through me. I guess now is the best time to confess my love to you, Mary Christiansen. We can run away together right now and never look back."

"Although I am irresistible, I know damn well your heart belongs to a certain nerd."

I laugh, "He does have most of it but..." I squeeze her hand. "You'll always have a piece of it too."

She rests her head on my shoulder. "Back at you, asshole... I'm proud of you too... I can tell you're doing better. I could smell your minty breath when I walked in, so I say that's good progress."

"I'm honored that you noticed... I guess we're both trying to piece our lives together, huh?"

"Yep...who would've thought?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I grilled Joseph a lot on the other part for being a bad husband, but I know Mary isn’t a saint either. She has her problems and I wanted her to be able to move past them.
> 
> P.S. Thank you all for 1K hits! It means a so much to me!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert makes a decision

The kid and I are sitting on his couch, waiting for our Hawaiian pizza to arrive so we can watch a movie (I'm trying to prove to him that Sam Fuller is indeed cash). He is stretched out across it with his feet placed on my lap and I don't mind one bit. It all feels so domestic like...this where I'm meant to be.

"So, Mary is doing alright then?" the kid asks.

"Huh? Oh yeah, she's doing better. Talked to her earlier today. She went to her lawyer to start discussing joint custody."

"That's good."

"She also told me she had a run in with Edith the other day."

"Pot Brownie Edith?"

"Bingo. Well apparently, the words already traveled about the divorce and the bitch was sticking her nose up at her. Well, Mary is already used to it so she just ignores her. Oh no, Edith couldn't just mind her damn business. She starts throwing remarks at her like, 'You were never good for him,' 'He deserved someone better anyways,' etc. Mary had finally gotten tired of being civil to her and you know what she said? 'Edith, take those bitchy comments and shove them up your ass like you do with your gardener's dick.' Kid, that happened in the middle of the supermarket!" We bust out laughing until our sides start stitching.

After he catches his breath he says, "She's a strong woman you know. She'll be fine no matter what."

I nod my head in agreement. "Though I hate to break it to you, Kid, but we're gonna have to cut back on the trips to Jim and Kim's."

"I'm sure my liver isn't going to complain. Besides, the three of us will always have each other. And if it means more nights like this...I couldn't be happier." A content smile appears on his face.

I grab his ankle and agree, "Me too." I lightly finger the exposed skin between his track pants and sock. The area is only a few centimeters wide but it's enough. He's always enough.

I've done a lot of thinking ever since my conversation with Val and, more recently, after seeing Mary finally willing to move on with her life. Maybe... Just maybe it's time to give myself a chance... I'm not stupid, I still have moments where regret and self-doubt carve away at me. They are engraved in me like my whittling scars but I'm getting better at accepting them and... I'm at peace. I gaze at the kid laid back on the couch, arm restfully tucked into the back of his head and eyes slightly shut as if he's basking in the small attention I'm giving him. When I see him like this, all doubt sheds away from me... I think it's time.

"Kid?"

"Hmm?" Just that small noise is enough to send goosebumps throughout my body.

"I want to--"

I'm interrupted by the doorbell ringing. Are you fucking serious? We both look slightly annoyed but I get up from my comfortable position to go get the pizza.

When I come back I see the kid is in the kitchen talking on the phone instead of the couch. I set the pizza down on the coffee table and sit back down. "Don't worry about it Manda Panda, I'll be fine," I hear him say, not really sure of the context. "I appreciate the concern but there's no need to come back to town just for a day." There's the small static noise from Amanda answering back. "I know it's the first time without you but I can handle it. What'll make me happy is that you focus on school, okay?" There's a pause. "Love you too, Panda. Bye."

He hangs up the phone and sits down next to me instead of laying down like before. His expression is a little off but I can't really tell what it is. "You good?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll be better once I have that pizza inside me."

I know something is wrong but I don't wanna push. He's always patient with me, so I should just wait ‘til he's ready. I click on the movie. "Alright then."

 

A couple days go by and there's been radio silence from the kid. The insecure part of me is scared that I did something to upset him and that I should have asked him what was wrong. But…I’m more scared that something happened to him. As I'm about to go check on him, I get a phone call before I step out the door and my heart leaps out my chest. It’s the kid. "Hey, Robert... Sorry I haven't called in a few days. I've just had a lot on my mind..."

Thank God. "It’s cool, Kid. I know how it feels to want to be left with your thoughts."

"Yeah... Um, listen I have something to do right now and was wondering... if you can come with me?"

"Sure thing. We can take my truck if you want."

"Sounds good, I'll meet you outside." I hear the beep of the phone call being ended.

I grab my keys and say goodbye to Betsy.

When I step outside the kid is already in my driveway. He must be nervous ‘cause I can see him playing with the sleeve of his black cardigan. Never seen him wear that before.

"Ready?" I ask.

He nods his head and I let him climb into the truck. When I get in, he turns to me and stutters, "U-um it's across town, but I need to make a stop beforehand."

"Alright." I start up the car and we head off.

I wait for him to come outside of the store and when he does, I see him holding a bouquet of flowers. It doesn't take me long afterward to piece everything together. Amanda's phone call, the black cardigan, the flowers: we're going to the cemetery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry, I’m a tease! I also may have let my hatred for Hawaiian pizza manifest in this chapter XD


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dadsona confesses something to Robert about the night they met.

The car ride didn't take that long but it felt like forever. The air felt heavy and the silence was only broken with the occasional crinkling of cellophane. What do you even say when you're heading to visit the love of your life's dead husband? I sure as hell don’t know.

We pull into the cemetery and then we step out of the truck. He murmurs, "You don't have to come, you know? If this makes you uncomfortable--" 

I grab his free hand. "I'm not going anywhere, Loomis."

He blushes and just nods. He pulls me along as we navigate through the cemetery. After walking for some time, the kid stops and he gives my hand a squeeze before letting go. He takes a few step forward and kneels down, placing the flowers carefully on the plaque. From over his shoulder, I see a small picture embedded into the stone and the date matching today’s. "Hey, Alex... It's been a while… Amanda says hi," he whispers. 

Even with this, the kid is braver than me. I never brought myself to go visit Marilyn’s grave. I just felt so ashamed to face her even after death but…there’s no time to feel sorry for myself right now. I have to be sure _he’s_ okay. I put my hand on the top of his head so he knows I’m there for him.

"Thank you, Robert...for coming... I didn't want to do this alone..."

"No problem, Kid... You know I'd do anything for you."

"I know... That's why...I wanted to tell you something..." The way he says it makes my stomach take a turn and I just wait for him to say something.

"Um... Do you remember that the first night we met...I turned you down?"

"Yep, it was a real bruise to my ego."

He huffs out a laugh. "Trust me it wasn't because of a lack of sex appeal... I really did want to but...I couldn't do that to you."

I kneel down next to him so I could talk to him better. I've often wondered why he didn't want to sleep with me, always thinking it was because I wasn't good enough for him. "What do you mean by that?"

He lets out a deep sigh. "This is going to sound so _stupid_."

"Hey...you can tell me anything," I encourage. 

"I couldn't sleep with you because...I was comparing you to him," he explains as he softly points at the grave. "I know you two don't look physically similar, but...when I saw you at the Coffee Spoon I just couldn't help it. The way you drank your coffee and the way you looked out deep in thought reminded me of Alex. Anytime I came into the kitchen, he would be sitting at the breakfast bar with that same expression, probably thinking about his day ahead. It was just for a moment like seeing a ghost but it was enough to get my head spinning.

"I guess that was part of the reason I had dared to talk you at the bar... And when you invited me in I thought, 'Fuck it, why not go for it? I've been alone for so long why shouldn't I have some company?' You were so dark and mysterious that I was completely hypnotized, but when we went to your bedroom... I realized what I was about to do." The memory flashes in my head: _"I-I, uh. I don't normally...do this..."_ He anxiously clenches his fist in his laps. "I was going to sleep with you just because, in some weird way, I wanted to feel closer to him...” He covers his face with his hand. “It was stupid and selfish of me and...I'm sorry..." he utters miserably.

When he says that to me it's like a punch to the gut. He's apologizing to me. _Me_ who was about to fuck _him_ as a sick vendetta against Joseph. I take his hand away from his face so he can look at me. "You don't have to apologize to me... You made the right decision.” I nudge his shoulder, “I was planning on kicking you to curb in the morning so I say we're even." I say it as a joke, but I hate that it is the truth.

A small smile finally appears from his somber expression. "I'm glad about my decision too... If I hadn't stopped myself...I would have never gotten to know you for you... The man who likes to stay for the movie credits and likes to whittle and likes to hunt for cryptids..." He pauses for a moment and looks me straight in the eyes. "The man I'm so desperately in love with..."

My breath catches in my throat and my heart starts beating a million times per second. He...he said it... He said he's in love with me. 

He looks away like he said something shameful. "I know it's not fair of me to tell you. I know you said you needed time and that's fine. I'll wait for you until the end of the earth and then some, but...I wanted to finally say it. I wanted you to come today as a sort of...final goodbye to Alex and…” he strokes the plaque lightly and looks at me again, “I was hoping that I could move forward with you…" I see tears starting to form. “If... If this isn't what you want...I'll understand—"

I cut him off by grabbing his chin and planting a kiss on his lips. The moment our lips collide, it's like an atomic bomb goes off. Every word that was unspoken and every touch and stare that lingered for too long all these months explodes in a singular moment. And...it’s beautiful. We part our lips, only slightly, so I can exhale, "I want this... I want you now and forever. I was going to tell you the other night..." I clasp my hand on the back of his neck and draw our foreheads together. "I know I'm not...complete... I’m better but I still have to fight my demons every day. What I want to know is...will you take me however I am? Will you take me with all my faults?"

He's so close I feel his eyelashes tickle my cheek. He breathes, "Robert... I would take you even if you were possessed by the Dover Ghost."

I laugh and then say, "God, I love you so much..."

He strokes the scruff on my jaw. "Glad to hear."

I hoist myself up and pull him into a hug. I place one hand on his hip and gently rub his lower back. "Let's go..." I lean into his ear and whisper, "I'd like to take off that stupid dad sweater... If you'll let me."

I feel him shiver and he nods against the crook of my neck. "I'd like nothing more than that..."


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Knife Dad and Dadsona do the deed (finally!) but they're still dorks about it XD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I go pretty ambiguous on the details because a) I am not experienced at writing sexy time and b) I wanted to keep it inclusive to differing body types

On our drive back to the cul-de-sac, I'm gripping the kid's hand tightly like I want to ensure that he'll stay with me even though he said he would. I bet he feels my tension because he draws my hand up to press his lips to my knuckles. He grazes them lightly then starts to kiss each one softly and deliberately. And, God, it's such a turn on.

He lets our hands fall onto his thigh and I take the opportunity to loosen my grip. I place my hand on his inner thigh and gently stroke up and down, earning a tremble from him. I glance over at him, still trying to keep my eyes on the road and see that he's already flustered. "You okay, Kid?"

"Better than 'okay'," he laughs. "You know...if you want to move your hand up higher you can."

I waste no time in complying and slowly slide my hand up to his crotch. He bites his lip a bit and when I start thumbing and squeezing it lightly, he lets out a gasp.

I kinda chuckle, "Jesus, Kid, the real fun hasn't even begun!"

"I-I know it's just...been a while," he stammers.

"Hey, it’s okay... I've got you."

We turn into the neighborhood and we scramble out of the car after I park it in my driveway. I hurry up opening the door of the house and as soon as we're inside I lift him off the ground to straddle him against me. He lets out a surprised yelp but he wraps his arms around my neck. I feel him running his fingers through my hair and then he starts to gently suck and bite my neck. The feeling is so amazing that I feel a groan slip out.

He giggles, "I found your sweet spot, huh?"

I purr into his ear, "You'll have plenty of time to find all them."

"Then what are we waiting for?" he beckons seductively, kissing my jaw.

I carry him upstairs to the bedroom and lay him gently on the bed. I slip my jacket off my shoulders before I hover over him, letting our eyes lit with desire meet. I keep my word and start to slide his cardigan up, ever so slowly. I run my callous hands over his abdomen, almost cautiously, as if I might tear his smooth, delicate skin.

I think he notices my hesitation because he snickers, “Didn’t take you as the shy type, Bobert. Well, I must say, I’m a little disappointed—”

I meet his challenge by yanking his sweater off completely in one quick motion. I firmly massage my hands into his side to assure him I mean business, which gets him to hum pleasurably. “Not talking big now, are ya?” I tease.

“I’m sorry I doubted you,” he laughs.

While I continue to roam his upper body, I take the time to admire every detail of his. I trace every inch of him with my eyes and all I can think to say is, “Damn, you are beautiful.”

“T-thanks,” he blushes. I lower myself closer to him and start pecking lightly at his stomach and chest. “Mmm, that’s nice,” he hums as he drapes his hands over my shoulders. I keep stroking his skin with my lips and tongue, making the kid squirm in delight. I work my way up his collarbone, then to his neck and finally I nip at his earlobe, gently holding it between my teeth. He gasps in surprise and he tightens his grip. I grumble lowly so he can feel the vibrations and he giggles. Not really the response I was expecting. I let go and stare at his now scarlet face. “Sorry. Ticklish,” he explains.

I kiss his chin. “You’re too fucking adorable.”

“You’re spoiling me with all the compliments, Small,” he humorously swoons.

I cradle his face, allowing my lips to be only millimeters away from his. “It’s only because it’s the truth,” I breathe. I close the gap so we can meet in a tender, passionate kiss.

As we kiss, one of his hands is gently tugging on tufts of my hair while the other is gliding under my shirt. The careful strokes of his fingers up my abs to my chest and then my back are so intoxicating. Like he wants to explore every inch of me and revel in it. And his lips... they're so soft and eager against mine that I can't help but smile, leaving him a window of opportunity to let his tongue slip in.

I pull away slightly and snarl, "So that's how you want to play?" I press my hips against his and start thrusting slightly.

I feel his nails dig into my back and he moans, "R-Robert!" I continue, hoping to earn more from him and he happily reciprocates the motion. He starts to pull up my shirt and I help him take it off. Our eyes meet again and I see a glint of doubt appear. I feel my heart stop but then he puts a hand delicately on my face. "Are you sure, Robert? ...Do you want to keep going?” I find it ironic that he's the one asking this time. “If you want to go slowly, we can…” he offers.

I put my hand over his and rub my cheek against it. "No more, going slowly. I want you to make me yours...and I want to make you mine...because I really do love you... Will you do me the honor?" I kiss his palm, hoping with all of my soul that he says yes.

"Of course," he smiles.

The moment our bare bodies are against each other, it is like I go into sensory overload. I can hear every breath, moan and pant coming from us. I can feel the sheets sticking to my sweaty skin and can feel every corner of his body underneath mine. I am utterly destroyed by every sensation, reminding me how long it has been since I _really_ made love to someone. By the end, we are breathless, hot messes; both of us trying to recover from the pleasure we had given each other.

"Holy fuck," is all I manage to pant out.

"Ditto," he agrees breathlessly.

I pat his shoulder lightly and tease, "Okay you can go now."

"Ha! No can do, Robert Small. I made you officially mine, remember?"

"Oh, right. Guess we fucked so good I forgot." We both start laughing and we cuddle up against each other more. I wrap my arm around his shoulder and start drawing small circles around it. "All jokes aside, Kid...I'm glad this happened the way it did... I'm glad that we didn't sleep together those months ago... It gave me the chance to fall for you...slowly and surely like drops of wax." I place my lips on the top of his head.

"I wouldn't change a single thing either..." He rubs his hand over my pec and scatters slow, sleepy kisses on my sternum. I let myself be lulled by his soft caresses and fall asleep in the comfort of his arms.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the series starts coming to an end, Robert closes one last chapter in his life.

"So you and Tessa are gonna go visit Pappy with me for Christmas?" I discuss with Val over the phone. 

"Yeah, Dad. I'm not gonna leave you alone to hear him ramble about his rifle collection."

"You're the best, Val."

"I know I am,” she boasts. “... Uh, Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"You don't think Pappy will be too shocked when he sees I'm dating a woman, right?"

"No need to concern yourself over that. I'll tell him I'm dating a man first and then your news won't be that big of a deal," I assure her.

She laughs, "Thanks, Dad. You're a lifesaver. You sure you won't miss neighbor boy too much over the holidays?"

"I'll definitely miss him, but he's got his own plans too. Amanda and he are gonna visit his parents in Florida like they do every year. I guess that means me and him will just have to screw our brains out until then to make up for lost time."

"Okay, hanging up now," she exclaims, audibly embarrassed. "Talk to you later, Old Man."

"Bye." The conversation ends and I continue to walk down the street to enter the store. It's official. I've gone fully domestic. I'm picking up a bottle of White Zinfandel for date night with my boyfriend... _My boyfriend_.  It's hard for me to believe it's been over a month since we made things official. When we told Val and Amanda about it they both reacted the same way: "About damn time." Things have been falling into place and...I'm happy.

As I walk out with the wine in hand, I see a blur of blonde from the corner of my eyes. Then I hear a familiar voice say, "Robert?" I turn my head and see none other than Joseph standing there holding a grocery bag.

Normally, running into him would send a surge of rage through my body. I would bite my tongue and claw my fingernails into my hand so I wouldn't tell him everything I thought about him. But this time...I don't feel anything. Not a twitch of the hand, not a clench of the jaw, nothing. He's even wearing his powder blue sweater and I don't bat an eye. 

"Sup," I respond finally. 

"Um, how have things been?"

"Swell," I answer curtly. I could easily rub my happiness in his face, but there's really no point. It would be like kicking him while he's down (even if he does deserve it). He still has a small, fake smile on his face but...his eyes look tired. Defeated even.

"Good..." He shifts uncomfortably and clears his throat, "Listen... Can we talk somewhere else? ...I'd like to discuss something with you."

His request takes me by surprise. I don't have to give him another minute of my time, but there's something, dare I say, sincere about how he asks. Ultimately, I nod, "Sure. Just make it quick. I have somewhere to be soon."

We go to the Coffee Spoon to take refuge from the cold winter air. The situation is definitely awkward but I take comfort in the fact that the sooner I finish up here, the sooner I'll get to be with the kid. "So, what is it you want?"

"Uh, yes about that..." Joseph starts, "I know I am no position to ask you any favors given...our past." Damn straight. "However, I'd like to ask anyway."

"Shoot."

"As you probably know, Mary and I are in the process of our divorce... I'm leaving her the house, so I don't uproot our children from their childhood home... I won't be around the cul-de-sac as much anymore so I was wondering...will you watch over Mary? I know how close you two are, so can you make sure she’s okay?"

That's laughable. Mary is capable of taking care of herself just fine. If he had given her the attention she deserved, Joseph would have known that. Of course, I'll always be there for her but she certainly doesn't need me to take care of her. However, I decide to humor him and answer, "I'll do my best."

"Thanks... Despite everything, I still care about her..."

I can't help but scoff, "Well you have a funny way of showing people you care about them."

"You're right..." he sighs, looking down at his coffee. “I used so many people... I was so desperate to find 'Margaritaville' that I didn't care who I hurt in the process and because of it...I'm alone... I realize now that you can’t make your own happiness by trampling the happiness of others…" He looks up at me and huffs, "I bet you're glad that I got what was coming to me... I wouldn't even blame you if you were." The bitter tone in his voice is kinda saddening and, honestly, I feel bad for him...

"If you had told me that months ago, I probably would have said yes and would have no remorse saying it... But a lot has changed since then... I've changed... So, no, Joseph. I'm not glad this is happening to you."  I am in no way a better person than Joseph. I wouldn't even say I'm a good person altogether. Yet...here we are. I'm getting my life together while he has to start his over. Why that is I'll never fully understand. 

He raises his eyebrows at me, shocked by my response. He mutters through a halfhearted smile, "Well I appreciate that... And I'm sorry again...for what I did to you."

"No point in sweating it anymore... It obviously did hurt when you blew me off but...it worked out in the end..." If he hadn't, I probably wouldn't have the kid waiting for me as we speak. "In a way, you fucking me over was the best thing you could have done for me."

He chokes on his coffee, as a laugh escapes his throat. It's probably the most genuine laugh I've ever heard from him. "Well I’m glad you were able to see a silver lining," he chuckles. 

I feel a smile form on my face. Who would have thought I'd ever get Joseph Christiansen to laugh again? I check my phone and see that it’s getting late. "I have to get going... It's been interesting." 

"That's a bit of an understatement, but I'll take it."

I get up from my seat and I stick my hand out towards him. He blinks at it for a second but he eventually he shakes it. "Goodbye, Joseph... I wish you the best." I really do mean that. Because if someone as fucked up as me can be happy, then... why shouldn't he? 

"Likewise..." he responds. I let go of his hand, leaving that part of my life finally to rest.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The End.

I look at the horizon and gaze at the beautiful view. As daylight disappears, the soft lavender of the sky starts to transition into the silver-sprinkled dark blue of nighttime. It's breathtaking but still doesn't compare with being sat next to the kid on the tailgate of the truck. We have a blanket wrapped around us while we share the wine straight from the bottle (cause neither one of us thought to bring glasses). I have one arm wrapped around his shoulder as he leans against me, stroking my ribs with one hand. We've kinda made it our thing to come to the overlook on date nights. We can spend hours just staring up at the sky or sitting in silence while we whittle or, occasionally, having mind-blowing sex in the back of the truck. Whichever way it goes, we love being in each other's company.

"You happy that Amanda's gonna be back for winter break next week?" I ask, passing him the bottle.

"Couldn't be happier! I can't wait to see my Panda again! We’ll get to eat all the burritos and binge watch all the shows we’ve missed together!"

"I'm glad you’re excited, Kid." I kiss his temple and he giddily smiles.

He puts the bottle of wine aside and looks up at me. "Robert..."

"Yeah, Kid?"

"Thank you..." he whispers.

I raise an eyebrow, confused as to why he's thanking me. "For what?"

"For being here for me these past months..." He presses his lips on my jaw and mutters softly, "I don't know how I would've handled being alone after Amanda left if I didn’t have you... Just knowing you were there, even if I couldn't hold you like I am now...it was comforting. So that's why I'm grateful..."

I breathe in his words and let them run in my mind. He's grateful for having me...but that's not right. I swing my leg over him and nestle myself in his lap so that I can face him directly. I lean into him until my palms are flat on the bed of the truck. "Hey."

"H-hey there, handsome," he replies. I gaze at his face, taking in the rosiness of his cheeks and his eyes glazed with love. Anytime I see him staring back at me like that, I wish I would just melt into him.

"I want you to know something, okay..." I lift one hand to his mouth and run my thumb over his lips. He moans softly at the touch and he nods.

"I appreciate that you're thankful to me, but I want you to remember one thing... _I'm_ the real lucky one to have you. I don’t know where I would be without you…” I caress his face with the back of my hand and push his hair behind his ear. “Actually I do know… I’d be alone, drinking the days away in the hopes that one day my body would just give up already... Val would be in Brooklyn, living her life out with Tessa and I would have no knowledge of that because if it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t have had the courage to see her…” A sigh escapes me. It’s scary to think that that would’ve been my life.

“Robert…” He rubs his hands on my waist. “Don’t say that…” he murmurs.

“I know you don’t like when I talk like that, but…it’s the truth… I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for you.” I smile at him. “I have a secret to tell you. I was going to wait until we both got back from our Christmas vacations but I want you to know already.”

He tilts his head with a puzzled expression. “What is it?”

“I finished up writing the first draft of my new story and I’m going to call up my old editor to take a look at it,” I declare.

“That’s… That’s amazing, Robert!” A huge grin stretches across his face. He wraps me in tight a hug. “I’m so proud of you!”

I rub the back of his head and whisper, “I’m glad because…it really is thanks to you. The story is about Dr. Loomis and Daniel McSturgiss.”

He pulls away slightly and blinks at me. “…Really?”

“Yep, Loomis. You’re gonna be famous. The first book starts off when we ‘meet’ for the first time and then everything that follows.”

He grins at me and nuzzles his nose into my neck. “I’m honored McSturgiss. This is definitely going to give us more credibility with Quinn!”

“We’ll be honorary members of the ghost tour indefinitely,” I laugh. I lift his chin up towards me, “So you see, Kid… Meeting you was the best thing that could’ve happened to me…” I take his lips into mine as sweetly as I can and, as always, it’s electrifying. I pull away so that I can say, “I love you.” I’ve said those three words to him over a hundred times by now. I’ve groaned them groggily in the morning when he wakes me with a kiss on the nose. I’ve laughed them out after he makes one his lame jokes. I’ve moaned them almost worshipfully when we make love to each other. I’ve said them so much and meant them every single time yet this time, in particular…it feels more real. It feels pure and unadulterated like it will forever linger through time and space.

I think he feels the genuineness of those words too because I see a tear of joy roll down his cheek. “I love you too, Robert.”

I kiss him again so I can seal this moment. I let my weight fall on him until he’s lying flat on the bed of the truck and kiss every inch of skin I can, listening to the small noises of pleasure coming from him. Heh, I guess I know which direction we’re going tonight.

 Just like the day under the cherry blossom tree, I don’t know what the future has in store for us, except this time I’m not scared anymore... Because every second that goes by we fall deeper and deeper in love with each other like an endless ocean… There’s nothing scary about that now is there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone who read this story! Thank you all for the comments and kudos! I loved writing this story so much so I'm grateful to everyone who stuck around! Also shout out to AcrylicCobra13 who inspired me to continue the part with Robert's writing career.  
> While I'm sad this story is ending, I'm not going anywhere. I still want to write more for this fandom (cause there's so much that can be written it's not even funny). So hopefully you guys will like what I put out in the future!  
> <3


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